Foreign Ownership of U.S. Agricultural Land Still Growing
by Colter Brown
October 26, 2026
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Foreign ownership of U.S. land is a widely debated topic, raising concerns about national security, agricultural productivity, and long-term implications for U.S. agriculture. The USDA released updated foreign ownership data for 2024, shedding light on foreign investments in U.S. farmland, their locations, and the countries with the largest holdings.
The latest figures indicate that foreign investors control or lease approximately 47.2 million acres of U.S. agricultural land in 2024, representing 3.6% of privately held agricultural land. While this signifies a continued upward trend, the rate of growth has slowed. Most foreign-held land is categorized as forestland or tied to renewable energy projects.
Background
The Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (AFIDA) mandates that foreign entities disclose purchases, sales, and other interests in U.S. agricultural land to the USDA’s Farm Service Agency. However, it relies on self-reporting and enforcement has historically been limited. The USDA has proposed regulatory changes to broaden reporting requirements and increase penalties for non-compliance.
Reportable interests include long-term leases (10 years or more), but it’s important to note that a foreign-held acre doesn’t always mean foreign ownership. Many land parcels tied to wind and solar projects are leased from U.S. landowners who retain ownership.
Foreign-Held Agricultural Land Reaches 47.24 Million Acres
According to the 2024 AFIDA report, foreign investors held interests in approximately 47.24 million acres of U.S. agricultural land, marking an increase of roughly 2.34 million acres compared to 2023. This represents a 3% growth over the previous year.
Foreign-held acreage has significantly increased since 2010, when foreign investors held around 24.8 million acres. The 2024 total represents a 90% surge over this period.
Land use remains a critical distinction. In 2024, approximately 22.2 million acres of foreign holdings were forestland, accounting for nearly half of the reported acreage. 13.7 million acres were cropland, while the rest consisted mainly of pastureland.